1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cooling system that is used with a portable ice chest.
2. Background of the Prior Art
Spending the summer outdoors for picnics, fishing etc., is a popular pastime for many people. While such activities tend to be fun and memorable for most, a problem is experienced by many. The summer heat and humidity can lessen the degree of enjoyment or can curtail the time spent outside by the pleasure seekers. Most activities loose their enjoyment factor whenever the participant is suffering from heat exhaustion.
In order to combat the punishing outdoor heat and humidity, many steps can be taken. The activity can be scheduled at an off-peak time so that the most brutal heat is not experienced. This solution has only limited availability as some activities cannot be effectively scheduled at off-peak hours or the participants cannot attend during the desired hours. Some activities tend to be day long and therefore cut across non-peak as well as peak heat hours.
Another solution is to periodically escape the outdoors and cool off either in an air conditioned building or a running vehicle. Unfortunately, this solution can be very impractical for many activities such as camping or fishing in a small boat. Additionally, this tends to diminish the overall experience for the activity participants.
Therefore, the outdoor heat and humidity must be tackled head-on. Many devices have been proposed in order to accomplish this task. However, many prior art devices tend to be unduly cumbersome in size, making use of such devices limiting. Other devices have only a marginal effect on combating the heat, while other devices are unduly complex in design and operation rendering such devices impractical to own and operate.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a device that can combat heat and humidity in an outdoor environment. Such a device must not be unduly cumbersome in size and weight, and must offer adequate cooling capacity. Such a device must not be unduly complex in design or operation.
The cooling system for an ice chest of the present invention addresses the aforementioned needs in the art. The cooling cooler offer effective cooling capacity to a user in a relatively small size. The device is relatively simple in design and operation and is relatively easy to use. The device can also be used to providing heating if a user desires heating instead of cooling.
The cooling system for an ice chest of the present invention is comprised of a container adapted to hold a fluid such as water (hot or cold) as well as ice therein. A base having a first opening therein, is positioned on the container over an open top of the container. A radiator having an inlet and an outlet, is attached to the base. A pump is disposed within the container and is in fluid flow communication with the fluid. A first hose is fluid flow connected with the inlet of the radiator and with the pump. A second hose is fluid flow connected with the outlet of the radiator, the second hose passes through the first opening. A fan is attached to the base proximate the radiator so that the fan blows across the radiator. A power source is electrically connected to the fan and to the pump. A plenum is attached to the base and is positioned over the fan and the radiator. The power source can be a battery, a solar collector, or a plug which can be either a wall plug or a vehicle cigarette lighter plug. A switch is disposed between the power source and the fan and between the power source and the pump for controlling operation of each element. A thermostat can be electrically connected to the switch for controlling operation of the switch based upon the reading of the thermostat. The thermostat is attached to the plenum proximate the radiator. The container rests upon a drip pan. A third hose can be secured within a third opening located in the base while a fourth hose can be secured within a fourth opening located in the container. The fourth hose may have a check valve disposed therein. A second opening can be disposed within the plenum, while a filter is attached to the plenum to cover the second opening. A groove is disposed within the base and extends from proximate the radiator to an edge of the base.